Meet the Neighbors
by Evelien Michaels
Summary: EO go undercover as husband and wife and travel to Las Vegas to work with CSI. This is an SVUCSI crossover. EO. Please R&R! My first crossover!
1. Another one Bites the Dust

Meet the Neighbors

By Evelien Michaels

CHAPTER ONE: Olivia Benson's POV

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

The sky was cloudy and gray when I entered the precinct this morning. Bad weather seemed to be a symbol of our entire unit's mood for the past few days. At first only Fin and Munch were working the case, but after another victim was killed, we were all anxious to catch those responsible for these horrible crimes.

Three days ago a woman, Alicia Stone, was raped and beaten to death with a lamp in Queens. She was a tall, blonde, beautiful model in her early twenties. Her parents were devastated by the sudden attack on their daughter, and told us about her many friends and her spotless school records.

The case was more than frustrating; not only did the perpetrator leave no DNA inside her, but there was no evidence suggesting anyone as a suspect. Then the next night, another young woman was killed, in the Upper Eastside, Alexia Schiel, who was an actress and once again a tall, blonde, woman in her early twenties.

She was raped like Alicia, but no semen was found inside her either. Dark purple bruises covered her body, and the shape suggested that she was also beaten with a lamp. After Munch found her body, the captain assigned Elliot and me to the case also.

We were relieved to be pulled away from our paperwork, however, I felt my soul being torn to pieces and those around me knew that ever since Kristin's attack, I was working harder and feeling more remorse for the victims who were being abused. Elliot was a big help to me though. Ever since we began dating, he was only a phone call away. It provided me a slight bit of comfort knowing that in several minutes he would be sitting on the couch with his arms wrapped around me. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without his support. At first I was afraid that Cragen would threaten to break us apart, but he understood that our relationship was more than a little "fling."

I heard the door open and close behind me, causing me to spin around to see who was here as early as I was.

"Liv… I'm sorry for startling you…" Elliot emerged from the shadows of the dimly lit precinct. My racing heart beat slowed down when I realized it was just my partner. The two of us laughed at how antsy I was.

"Coffee?" I asked pouring myself a cup and grabbing another for Elliot.

"Can't say no to that offer," he smiled, coming up behind me and snaking an arm around my waist.

"Here…" I returned his smile and spun around to face him, holding a cup of coffee for him.

"Are you ok Liv? You look kinda…"

"I'm fine El," I stated placing a quick kiss on his cheek, "it's just the case… don't worry about me."

He chuckled under his breath, "You know that I always worry about you Liv…" he took the cup from my hand and placed it back on the table.

Without a second thought I allowed my head to drop on to his shoulder. I let out a huge sigh; he smelled like shampoo and his skin felt cool against my warm hands.

"Elliot… this is wrong… we're at work…" I whispered, though inside I wished I never spoke those words.

"Olivia… it's not even 5 AM… we're more than four hours early…" he breathed into my hair.

"I know, I know… it just seems… wrong…" he sighed heavily, and I could feel his shoulders rise and fall underneath me.

"So… what should we do then?" he drew away from me and his sky blue eyes locked unto mine, taking my breath away.

I just stood there like an idiot, gazing into his eyes, unable to say anything.

"Liv…" Finally, I found the strength to look away from him and at the chalkboard before me.

"Well let's see if we can figure anything else out…" I sat down in my desk chair and began a search for both Alicia's and Alexia's phone records, praying that there would be some similarity.

"Ok then, what do you want me to do?" he plopped down on top of my desk, but I didn't dare look in his eyes.

"I guess you could look through some photos for comparisons."

"Like what?"

"Do you remember that one case where that serial killer showed up at each of the crime scenes as well as the victims' funerals?"

"So you get the fun stuff and I get to look at pictures… that's really fair Liv…" he smiled and I turned away from my computer, propping my feet up next to where Elliot was sitting.

"Oh yeah, going through phone records is really exciting…" I laughed, catching his gaze once again. _That was a mistake… _I told myself silently. He immediately challenged me with his eyes, but I worked up the courage to say, "oh no El, that's not gonna work! I told you, we're at _work_, so we are going to _work_…"

He raised his right eyebrow and responded, "Oh really… well we'll see how you feel about working in I dunno… fifteen minutes…"

I felt myself giving in to his smile, but I resisted kissing his lips and turned back to my work once again. "You're wrong Stabler…" Once he realized that I was serious, at the moment at least, he grabbed the chair and sat down across from me.

By 6:30 AM neither of us had found anything that seemed somewhat suspicious or even possibly relevant. Elliot seemed to be absorbed in his work, or at least pretending to be, I wasn't sure.

"You checking me out Benson?" he smiled, lifting his head to focus on me rather than his paperwork.

_Damn it… he caught me looking… _I thought, embarrassed that he noticed me staring at him. "So what if I am?" I grinned, leaning towards him and crossing my legs underneath the desk.

"Wanna take a break Liv… maybe get some more coffee?"

"I know about your little plan Stabler… it's not gonna work…"

"Oh come on Liv… you really gonna turn down coffee?"

I had no idea what he was up to really, but he knew me too well. It was almost impossible for me to turn down coffee. "Alright… one cup of coffee, but that's it Stabler… nothing else…"

We walked out of the office and I glanced at the clock, 6:35 AM. We had been in the station house for over an hour and a half, but hadn't found anything.

"Here let me get that for you…" his hand lightly touched mine as he took the cup from me.

"Are you alright El?"

"What do you mean?" he replied handing me a full cup of strong, black coffee.

"You're cold…"

"Well…" he smiled, "you could… warm me up…"

"Elliot!" I exclaimed sipping the hot liquid, "I can't believe you said that!" I nudged him in the shoulder playfully. He raised his cup to his lips, smiling as he literally chugged the fluid. Before either of us spoke again, I finished my coffee and walked back into the office. Within seconds Elliot was behind me, enclosing his arms around my hips and kissing my neck. I sighed and realized that I had been defeated.

"So, you wanna do more paperwork or what?" he asked sarcastically in between kisses. After completely giving in, I spun to face him and allowed myself to lean up against him. Our lips finally touched sending a shiver up and down my spine even after all these months of dating. He deepened the kiss, gently pushing me back against the desk. My mind was racing, unable to sort my thoughts. There was no other place I would rather be in the world. The feeling of his arms around me, him kissing me… I still had a hard time believing it was all true.

For awhile I made myself believe that it was ok. After all, we were extremely early, but I felt bad bringing this behavior to work.

"Elliot…" I broke away, licking my lips, "we can't do this here… It just isn't right…"

"It's alright Liv… I understand… how about we have dinner tonight…"

I thanked him for changing the subject, so I didn't feel so awkward, "Sure… what do you want?"

"Hmm… Italian?"

"Works for me…" I said, sitting in the desk chair once again. The clock was now displaying 7:05 AM, a half an hour before Cragen arrived. In several minutes my eyes had drifted shut, and I was leaning back in my chair, fast asleep.

Elliot must have turned music on, because the sound of Whitney Houston's voice filled the office shortly after. He started to laugh, which woke me from my slumber.

I eyed him evilly, questioning why he had woken me. I tipped back further in the chair, but it flipped over knocking me to the floor.

"I told you not to do that anymore Liv!" Elliot laughed, pulling me up off the ground and making me feel like an idiot.

"That's not nice El!" I said, punching him in the stomach.

"Hey Liv…"

"Yeah…"

"You wanna dance?"

"I don't dance Elliot… you know that…"

"Oh come on… please?" He gave me the old puppy eye look trying to make me feel like I did something wrong.

"Ok fine!" I stood up from the ground, and he instantly wrapped his arms around my waist. I slid mine around his neck, stepping closer to him.

"See… this isn't so bad, now is it?"

"No I guess it's not," I stated watching the light dance in his blue eyes. He smiled down at me; it was a smile that could make anyone melt at his feet.

"What?" I asked, wondering what was making him smile like that.

"You're so beautiful Liv…" he answered lightly placing a kiss on my lips. I didn't know what to say, so I just gazed into his eyes intently. The song slowed down and ended, so I released my hands from around his neck, but he didn't let go.

"Elliot?"

"Olivia…"

"What is it?"

"Liv… I wish I could hold you forever…"

"Well aren't you being romantic today…" I smiled. "Too bad we have to work…"

He pulled me tighter for a brief moment, then he let me go. "7:30…" I whispered, "Cragen will be here soon…"

"You're here early," Cragen stated turning the rest of the lights on.

"We've been here since five looking through phone records and photos…" I groaned pouring another cup of coffee.

"Somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed," Munch murmured walking into the precinct, with Fin following behind him.

"Morning Munch, morning Fin," Elliot greeted, joining me for another cup of coffee.

"That stuff still fresh?" Fin asked.

"Yeah… here," I handed him a cup full of steaming coffee. After five minutes we were all sipping coffee and ready to work. We sat in silence looking at pictures, when I finally noticed something.

"Who are these people?" I asked, taking a marker and circling a couple found at the crime scenes of both the victims. The man looked about fifty and had an arm around the shoulder of a woman who appeared to be about twenty.

"Mr. and Mrs. Drake. They were Ms. Schiel's neighbors," Cragen answered.

"Ok… but how are the related to Ms. Stone?" Fin questioned, scratching his forehead.

"Well the ME said that Ms. Stone was killed about two months ago," I started typing like a maniac on the computer, "Two months ago Mr. and Mrs. Drake moved from Queens to the Upper Eastside… they were Ms. Stone's neighbors too…" I looked up at the Captain who seemed lost in thought.

"Munch, Fin go talk to the Drakes… Olivia, Elliot look for any other information you can find.

"Captain, we have a problem…" Munch declared, coming back into the precinct around one PM.

"You've been gone for almost six hours! What do you mean you have a 'problem?'?" Cragen was angry. The three of us spent the last six hours wondering where they were and going through phone records.

"The Drakes weren't home and we've been looking everywhere, no one knows where they went…" Munch argued.

"Captain we've been at this for hours and have no new information… maybe we can get lunch or something…" Elliot suggested, already grabbing his coat. Munch and Fin exchanged glances.

"We can't say no to that!" Munch agreed tossing Fin his jacket.

"You coming Cap?" Fin asked.

"No, I've been meaning to talk to an old fried of mine…" he answered.

"Ok then…" Fin put his coat on and followed the rest of us out and into our cars.

"Central Perk?" Munch radioed to Elliot and me.

I grabbed the radio and answered, "Sounds good to us."

We arrived at the café shortly after and were seated in the back towards the window. The guys all ordered burgers and fries, but I wanted a salad instead.

"You and your salads…" Munch sighed.

"Hey, it's not my fault I wanna drop a couple…" I joked, squirting low fat Ranch dressing on my salad.

They exchanged glances as I ate, "What?" I put my fork down and stared at them.

"You sound like Kristin…" Elliot teased.

"Oh yeah like weighing ninety-five pounds is really bad!"

"You women and your weight obsession…" Munch rolled his eyes. I threw a crouton at him and Fin burst out laughing. We finished our meals and everyone was once again staring at me.

"Now what did I do?" I asked.

"I believe it's your turn to pay," Munch replied.

"Ok fine…" I reached for my wallet, but Elliot touched my arm.

"I got this one Liv…" he smiled.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yeah… it's not a problem…"

"Aww how cute… look at that Munch…" Fin laughed.

"Thanks Elliot…" Munch followed Fin back to the cars, and I checked my watch as we headed out the door.

"It's almost 4:30 guys; do you think we should head back?" They nodded and we started driving back to the precinct, but were stopped by people who wanted donations.

I gave each of them a twenty dollar bill and continued driving. "What?" Elliot was staring at me again.

"You are Miss I-gotta-save-the-world now aren't you!"

"Shut up Stabler!" We pulled up in front of the precinct and led Munch and Fin up the stairs. I could feel Elliot's eyes on me once again and turned around whispering, "You better not be looking at my ass Stabler!"

He smiled, "So what if I am?"

I rolled my eyes and walked into the precinct. "Sorry we took long Cap…"

"We just received a phone call… another body was found two hours ago."


	2. Red rum

CHAPTER TWO: Catherine Willows' POV

UNTITLED

Grissom and I arrived shortly after noon only to discover the immobilized body of a twenty year old woman. Her name was Ashlee Swanson; I recognized her from a billboard advertising a show she was starring in. I pulled my camera out and took pictures of the body. Fifteen minutes later, Sara and Nick appeared.

We divided her house up; Nick and Sara went upstairs, Grissom and I remained downstairs. While I looked over the body, he dusted both the front and back doors for prints, and found a few partials. He walked into the kitchen searching for a possible murder weapon, but everything seemed untouched. Soon, he joined me in investigating her death.

"Looks like she put up a fight," I stated pointing to her right hand.

"Defense wounds… looks like a few broken fingernails, possibly a broken middle and ring finger," Grissom declared, as I snapped a few pictures.

"Hmm… ecchymosis maybe?"

He nodded, "Perimortem bruising…"

"What do you think could have caused this kind of bruises? They're huge Grissom…"

"Definitely not from fists… a bat maybe?"

"Or maybe," I glanced around the room that appeared to be struck by a tornado. My eyes were fixed on a lamp that was lying on the floor nearby, "Maybe a lamp?" I reached for the lamp and compared it to the shape and size of the bruises.

"Well it my not have been that lamp, but that seems to be what caused the bruises," Grissom said squatting on the carpet.

"Should I dust for prints anyway?"

"Yeah, maybe you can find who caused this destruction…" I dug into my pocket and found a small brush. As I dusted for prints, Grissom continued to look for other clues.

"Cath… Cath come here a minute…"

"What's wrong Gil?"

"Ms. Swanson was stabbed in the back…"

"That doesn't make sense…"

"She was definitely stabbed… check out the Hilt marks…"

"Gil if she was murdered here, there would be evidence of exsanguation…"

"Exactly… she would have bled out…"

"So where's all the blood?"

"Cath… she wasn't killed here… someone moved her…"

"Well that was a waste of time," Sara and Nick emerged in the doorway, empty handed.

"We found something interesting…" I stated pulling off my rubber gloves.

"And that is…?" Nick asked.

"She was stabbed in the back…" Grissom started.

"So she would have bled out… so where's all the blood?" Sara interjected.

"Exactly… Ashlee wasn't killed in her own home," Grissom finished, ready to leave and get the prints over to Warrick and Greg.

"We think that someone dumped her body and staged a robbery," I added, picking up the lamp that was carefully placed inside an evidence bag.

"Shall we go?" Grissom questioned anxiously.

"Right behind you," Nick answered leading Sara and me out the front door.

"Cath and I are going to go back to the lab… if you two would stay and question our witnesses that would be great…" Grissom ordered.

"Witnesses?" Sara asked, looking around, but only seeing officers.

"Over there… across the street. Mr. and Mrs. Drake… they were the last to see her," Grissom answered before walking back to our car.

"Ok…" Nick replied, "we'll do it…"

"Bye guys… have fun…" I smiled, then followed Grissom back to the car.

"Yeah… you too…" Sara whispered, barely audible as I left the scene and went back to the car. Grissom opened the door for me, something he never had done before. I eyed him suspiciously, but he just smiled.

I slid into the passenger seat, as he walked around to the driver's side. "What was that about?" I asked, while he turned the key and started the engine. During the twenty minute drive back to the lab, the two of us sat silently, saying a word to each other every now and then. He turned the radio on and switched it to a station playing country music.

"What is _this_?" I asked, sticking my tongue out in disgust. He laughed and allowed me to change the channel. Within seconds, a loud upbeat song filled the speakers.

"What's that?" Grissom inquired, turning down the street towards the lab.

I shrugged, "We listen to it all the time…"

"Teenagers…"

I laughed, as the song changed and one of Lindsay's favorite songs came on. I began moving to the music, unaware that Grissom was watching me. Moments later, one of his hands lightly touched my leg, sending me back into reality.

"Cath…"

"Yes…"

"What were you _doing_?"

"I think Lindsay calls it head banging," I laughed, slapping him in the arm and making him smile.

"Who can explain teenage behavior?" he chuckled, parking the car next to a black Ford Explorer.

"I sure can't… but if you can, more power to ya…"

The two of us walked into the lab side by side, holding evidence bags and cards covered with tape lifts. Grissom's eyes were focused straight down the door in which Greg was working. He was so ready to jump on a new case that he completely ignored Sara and Nick's "hellos" from across the hall. I waved and lifted up the evidence bags signaling that we were still processing the evidence from the Swanson case. Sara smiled knowingly and leaned over a long table covered with photos from their case. When Grissom opened the door, Greg was already waiting for DNA samples from Sara and Nick's case to be processed.

"We have some prints for you to run through AFIS and skin samples we collected from underneath the victim's fingernails, it's important that we get this back ASAP because the blood spatter suggests that she was moved." He plopped down the bags and headed out to his office.

"Nice to see you too Grissom…"

"Don't worry about it Greg… he's starting a new case… you know what that feels like…"

"Yeah it's like… how did you say it? Oh yes, it's like King Kong on cocaine."

"Thanks Greg," I smiled leaving to join Grissom in the office.

"Anytime Cat…"

"I'll pretend you didn't say that…" I shut the door behind me and walked down the hallway, passing by Nick and Sara once again.

"How are you guys doing with that jogger's death?" I asked cheerfully, but for some reason I felt like I was intruding. Sara and Nick had always seemed close… maybe they were closer than I thought.

"Well we've pretty much got everything the D.A. needs except for those DNA samples, but we should be good once Greg's done processing them," Sara stated confidentially collecting the photos and stacking them in a neat little pile.

"Lucky you…" I sighed wondering what in the world Grissom could possibly be doing in the office.

"Oh yeah, sorry about dumping that Swanson case on you two, but we really needed to close this one," Nick answered, looking up from his work.

"Nick it's no problem… really the only thing we can do is search her background and wait for the evidence to be processed. That's a two man job, not a four man job."

"Yeah I guess you're right…"

"Don't worry about it Nick…" I turned to leave, but I still heard Sara say, "Have fun working with Grissom… scientific methods… gross…"

I stood in the doorway for at least fifteen minutes watching Grissom type, click and scrible down notes without stopping. Interruptedly, I cleared my throat several times, but I was of no avail; he still wouldn't look at me.

"Hey Loser… you could at least say 'hi' to me…" I smiled daintily taking a seat across him.

Finally, I had captured his attention and he looked away from his computer, taking my eyes hostage. He gave me that look librarians give you when you're being too loud, but at the same time, something about that I'm-gonna-make-you-pay look made me squirm in my seat.

_Whoa… did I just say the about Grissom?_

"What you say never ceases to amaze me…" he stared me down, knowing that I was not comfortable in our current position. His sly smile that flashed briefly across his face surely meant that he was enjoying my deer-in-the-headlight expression.

I let out a "pfft" and stood once again, walking around the desk to begin working on the mountain of papers he had already printed out. We stayed like that for several minutes, surrounded by an awkward silence and not sure what to say. Thoughts raced through my head.

_Why is he doing this to me? Why is he acting so strange all the sudden?_

Evidently, there was something funny on his computer screen because he burst out laughing.

"Gil? What the hell?" were the only words I could manage to say without breaking in half like a cookie.

"You should see your face! Wow Cath! Usually you're as cool as a cucumber! But a few seconds ago you were as pink as a pumpkin!" his laughter was so different than the professor-like noises he usually made. The strength of the new laugh made him bounce up and down in his seat and I couldn't help but smile.

A wave of red hot embarrassment, however, did end up finding its way up to my cheeks. I couldn't believe this. I, Catherine Willows, the one that guys looked up and down and made all the guys in the lab melt, was actually falling to the ground with such force that it really felt like quicksand sucking me in. Gil Grissom, a man in his late forty's who women in the lab wouldn't give a second glance, (except Sara, but that was years ago) was making me blush. I never in my entire life blushed in front of a man before, even Eddie.

Drifting away from my thoughts I realized that Gil had stopped laughing and was now staring at me. His gaze made me blush even more, turning my face from I-just-ran-the-mile to I-just-ran-the-marathon. He smiled at me once again and I had to force myself to swallow my anxiety and say something.

"Pumpkins are orange hun," was all that I dared to say. The pumpkin thing was something we had started to say when he started blushing whenever I mentioned Sara, but he never said that to me.

_Wait a minute_, I thought, nervously glancing around the room like I was trying to find something. _Did I just call him hun?_ I shuddered once I realized that I had indeed called him hun. What was going on with me? Could I seriously be flirting with _Gil Grissom_?

"I… I… um… we…" I stammered attempting to collect my thoughts and trying to think of something casual and nonflirty to say.

"I, um, we what Cath?" his eyes changed from a look of playfulness to worry and concern.

"We should… uh… get started… any leads in this pile of junk?" Swiftly, I heaved the stack over to the other side of the desk and plunked down into the chair.

To prove that I was once again back in my "cool cucumber" stature, I flipped my hair from side to side and placed my glasses back into their comfortable position on my head. Sighing boredly, I grabbed the first few papers and began sifting through them. It was the basics; information on her, her education, her family, her career, the medical examiner's report, phone records, medical records, credit card records, and taxes.

_Wow_, I said silently, _isn't this fun…_

"Cath…" I raised my eyes to meet his and gripped the chair slightly, proving that I wouldn't get sucked in again.

"Yeah?" I tilted my head to the side like a confused puppy would and silently battled his gaze.

"You look really nice today…" now that was something Gil didn't tell me everyday. I was wearing a V-neck tank top, which was a light shade of pink and a tiny sliver of my tanned skin could be seen above my black pin-striped pants. It wasn't anything impressive looking, so why was he making a big deal about it?

"Uh… thanks?" personally, I wasn't sure whether or not he was complimenting me or just joking around.

"What? I'm not allowed to compliment you or what?" he didn't look at me as he spoke his comment or when he grabbed a pile of papers from what seemed to be a never-ending stack.

"Right… um… can we get back to the case now?"

"Sure… find anything interesting?"

"The person who reported the crime was her boyfriend Houston… what a name… anyway the last place she was seen alive was at some party for her neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Drake. Maybe we should start there… ok?"

"With the boyfriend?"

"No… is something making you lose your mind? 'Cause now I'm really afraid… I meant that we should start with the neighbors Genius, after all the were the last ones to see her alive… but if you want to go to the boyfriend, I'll get Warrick to go with me… if he's not busy…"

"No! I mean… uh… this is our case Cath… we should work together. Besides, Warrick's in court today."

"Ok…"

"Well what are we waiting for?" as I turned to find my black leather jacket, I found two folders lying on Grissom's desk. The one was marked Alicia Stone, the other Alexia Schiel.

"Gil…" I said picking up the files and opening the first one, "what are these?"

He looked at me in complete silence, his eyes telling me that it wasn't something good.


	3. Undercover

CHAPTER THREE: Olivia Benson's POV

UNDERCOVER

"Where is she?" I reacted instinctively when Cragen told us another body was found and was already wearing a jacket. "Come on Cap! We're wasting time!" I waited anxiously, wondering why it was taking so long.

"Relax Olivia… take off your jacket… another victim, Ashlee Swanson, was found today," he started, but I quickly cut him off.

"JUST TELL US WHERE!" I shouted and quickly covered my mouth, realizing how loud I was. "Sorry, didn't mean to yell…" Cragen shook his head like a father disappointed by his daughter's actions. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that several other people in the precinct had their eyes on me. Quickly, my cheeks turned pink and I could feel a stab of heat rise to my cheekbones for just a brief moment.

Elliot reached out to touch my left arm with his right hand, reassur9ing me that nothing was wrong. I turned to him briefly and gave him a small grin and once again face the Captain.

"She was found in Vegas," the Captain completed as our mouths dropped open in shock.

"Las Vegas, Nevada?" Munch asked with as much surprise the rest of us were feeling. My wide eyes turned first to Elliot, then Fin to make sure I really had heard that right.

"Yes Jon, Las Vegas, Nevada. I called my friend Gil Grissom in the CSI crime lab to tell him about the suspects who had moved from here to Vegas… he told me that was a coincidence because him and his partner, Catherine Willows, were headed to a scene…"

"So what… it's their case now?" Fin inquired stubbornly. By now we were all confused.

Elliot and I had worked so hard on that case, looking at photos, checking phone records and trying to find anyone who could possibly know her.

"No Fin it's not… we're decided that it would be best to run an undercover operation between the two units. Now, before you protest, think about it…. This man or men have already raped and brutally murdered two innocent women; do you really want him to get away? Olivia… Grissom and I talked and you'll be going undercover with a man named Warrick, that is, if one of you doesn't want to go."

He found a file on the desk nearby and gestured that I should take it. Working with another unit would mean accepting orders from a man I didn't know and adjusting to a completely different work style. Though working undercover was something I had done before, it was always with someone I knew which meant that he could try to be in control all the time... however, working with Elliot would be like another ordinary day. It would be nice to spend even more time together, even if that did mean working longer hours.

Munch was the first to break the silence, "I'll…"

Elliot quickly cut him off, "I'll go Cap…"

"Elliot, Olivia, you do understand that this is a job so no hokie-pokie ok?"

"We understand Cap…" the two of us said in unison. Undercover with Elliot… maybe Cragen was right; separating work and play could be hard.


	4. Road Trip

CHAPTER FOUR: Olivia Benson's POV

ROAD TRIP

Cragen called both Elliot and me early this morning to tell us that the only thing we needed to pack was what we would need for the drive across the country. I thought he was joking when he told us we would be driving across the country to CSI headquarters in Las Vegas. Supposedly taking an airplane was too risky because that way we would have to go as Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, not the new identities we could easily travel by on the road.

The only information we knew was that we would be working as husband and wife and that we were very rich and would be living next to the Drakes. Being Elliot's "wife" made me more than nervous. I didn't know how to be a wife, hell I wasn't even good at getting to second dates. So far going undercover looked like it was going to be a living hell. The whole wife situation wasn't the least of my problems; I was going to be their new neighbors, which meant I was first in line to be the next victim.

I sighed heavily as I zippered the last compartment of my suitcase, listening to the clock in my kitchen tick loudly. For the next three days, Elliot and I would be living, breathing, and sleeping in a travel camper fit for a family of at least five. My watch displayed that it was 10:30 AM, just a little over an hour until Elliot came to pick me up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a slim figure standing in the doorway.

"Hey Kris… what's up?" I finished closing my bag and plopped down tiredly on the comforter.

"Watching you pack. You sure do wait until the last minute to pack now don't you? I had my bags packed weeks ago." The sarcasism in her voice made me smile.

"Sure ya did kid… so… you have fun in Athens ok? And be safe…" Kristin's flight to Greece was scheduled to leave the day after tomorrow around 4:30. Out of 40,000 gymnasts competing in the Junior Elite level, she was the first picked and would be the only one competing in all four rotations in the team competition, as well as all four in the individual competition.

The first week was just to get adjusted to the Greek equipment and learn about the Junior Olympic scoring standards. Then the next five days would be the actual Junior Olympic competition. Her coach said that the Junior USA team was favored to win and it was very likely that Kristin would return with six medals.

Watching her took my mind off work and some of the more gruesome cases; her grace and flexibility never ceased to amaze me.

"Mom the coaches will be with us twenty-four/seven and besides… I've been practicing that left hook you taught me." She pulled her fingers into a fist and thrusted her hand at my face, coming within inches of hitting me.

"Whoa slow down tiger…" We smiled at each other knowing that that smile could be the last ones we shared in awhile.

"Kris… do me a favor… don't give Casey a hard time ok? Just eat what she cooks and take your medicine when you're supposed to."

"Mom, I know the drill… you've already told me about a hundred times."

For a few moments we just looked at each other, but we ended up holding each other in a rather long embrace.

"I love you more than coffee Kris…"

"Yeah… I highly doubt that…"

I smiled, "You're probably right… I'd choose an Irish Crème Cappuccino over you any day."

"Thaaaaanks…" our bond was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"You expecting someone?" she asked, getting up to answer the door.

"No… it's only 11:15… Elliot's not getting here until 12… why? Are you expecting someone?"

"No… let me get it mum… hello?"

A series of muffled noises escaped from both Kristin and the unknown person, as they conversed, their words inaudible to me though I was only at the end of the hall.

"Mum! Prince Charming's here!"

Elliot… every time I saw him it sent butterflies to my stomach like a little school girl ashamed to say she had a crush on someone. Quickly, I glanced in the mirror, and then ventured out to the living room where he was most likely sitting and waiting for me. As I made my way down the hall, I saw Kristin go back into her room. Elliot was sitting on the couch, the heels of his hands supporting the weight of his head. A New York Yankees Martinez jersey and a boot cut pair of jeans hugged his body, showing off his stomach muscles.

"Hey stranger," I whispered seductively, floating into the room like I was on high heels.

"Hey…" his eyes followed down the curves of my body, "sorry I'm early, Cragen wanted us to come by and get our files since somebody forgot them!" he smiled, showing only his top teeth, making me smile back. His eyes were so intense that I had to look away and find something else to stare at.

His shirt became my new point of interest and I had to hold back the urge to run my fingers along his muscles as well. Fortunately for me, I didn't have to wait very long. In a matter of seconds his lips where on mine and his arms found their way around my hips to the small of my back.

The intensity of the kiss was so great that I began to feel my back arching back slightly, as if I was doing a Waltz pose. My fingers traced up around his neck and played with the short pieces of his brown hair.

"What was that for?" I murmured onto his lips.

"Just for being you," he replied, a wide smile spread across his face.

From what seemed like nowhere, a quick bright snap of white light filled our faces. We knew that it could only be the flash of Kristin's Fujifilm Digital Camera, but what were we supposed to do?

For a few silent moments I tried to think of something intelligent to say, but nothing came to mind.

"Hun… you're worse than the paparazzi, you know that?" I said, a playful smile curling around the corners of my mouth.

"Think of it this way mum… now I have something to look at and remember you by before it's my turn to do my routines." Something about Kristin just glowed whenever I was with Elliot and her heavy British accent seemed sweeter and livelier.

"It's already 11:30, so we should leave now so we won't be late. You do have all your stuff packed right Liv?" he teased.

"Yes Dad… gosh… give me a little credit now will you!"

"I guess I'll see ya as soon as I can… please by careful mum…" her bright green eyes seemed to suddenly get grayer, realizing that the time had finally come for us to go our separate ways.

"I'll call ya as soon as the competition's over ok Kris?"

"Yeah… don't forget, a week from today on ESPN from one till four PM. That's the coverage of the team round. The next four days from one to two are the individuals…"

"I won't forget Kris… I'll tape it I promise," I gave her a quick hug and she whispered an almost silent 'goodbye.' I could tell that she was afraid to be on her own, but she's a Benson after all and I knew she'd be just fine.

By 2 PM, we had swung by the precinct to pick up the files I stupidly left behind and Cragen drove us to where our camper was parked. Casey, Munch and Fin were there to shake our hands and wish us luck. Casey and I hugged and I promised her we would go clubbing the second I got back, which made a smile spread across her sad face.

The rest of the squad looked at us inquizzidly, wondering what little secret we had shared. No one knew about out addiction to hip hop and blaring music, hell they all thought we both hated dancing and that alone could make us smile.

Munch and Fin, who Elliot and I always considered like brothers, had warned me to "not let things get out of control." I responded by saying "Don't worry; we'll have this case wrapped up in no time."

Before we got in the camper and put our bags in the vehicle, Munch shouted, "We weren't talking about the case, we were talking about Elliot!" I turned to face them and gave them a small smile and a quick wink before waving goodbye.

Elliot threw our bags on the sofa and climbed into the driver's seat as I joined him on the passenger side, holding our case files in my hand. With a simple turn of the key, we were off.

"Las Vegas here we come!" I shouted out the window as we drove further and further away until I couldn't see the precinct any longer.

DAY 1 New York City- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We drove for two hours and forty-five minutes after leaving the station house before finally reaching Pennsylvania. It would take about three to four hours until we reached Pittsburgh on the other side of the state.

It was almost five which meant that either I would have to cook dinner or we were going to switch drivers and he would make dinner. I knew how Elliot was with cars, which proved that there was a ninety percent chance that I would have to make dinner. Hopefully watching the Food Network with Kristin would help because we both knew I was a horrible cook.

"Well we're finally out of New York…" Elliot sighed.

"Yeah only what… twenty states to go?" I collapsed into the seat exhausted already from only about three hours of traveling.

"Why don't you take a nap or something before dinner?" Elliot asked.

"Ok…" I rolled over in my seat and reclined as far back as I could.

"Liv… Olivia…"

"What?"

"You can sleep on the bed… or the couch…"

"Oh right… good night for now…"

"Good night babe…"

I found my way back to the master bedroom and crawled under the sheets that were tightly tucked in. Curling up in a ball, I quickly fell asleep.

I climbed out of bed what seemed like fifteen minutes later. Initially, I wanted to sleep longer, but screeching car horns and angry drivers screaming at each other was way too loud to sleep through.

"What time is it?" I mumbled wearily, the after affects from a non peaceful sleep clearly displayed on my face and in my voice.

"Hey you! I was wondering when you were gonna make my dinner!" I scowled at him and once again took the passenger seat.

"What's with all the traffic?"

"We're just outside Harrisburg, so there's more cars… by the way it's 7:30…"

"7:30 already! Ugh! Let me make dinner, you must be starving! How could you let me sleep that long! What do you want to eat? I hope Cragen stacked this thing with enough food! Because I don't want to have to…"

"Olivia!" Elliot turned around to face me putting on the brakes at the red light. "Calm down! This is supposed to be relaxing! We're making good time so we'll stop in Pittsburgh in about an hour… can dinner wait until then?"

I sighed, "Yeah… that's great… I'm sorry…"

"I know… now go back to sleep…" he faced the wheel once again and stepped on the pedal. For a few minutes I just stood in the middle of the forest green furnished living room, watching Elliot's hands glide along the wheel as he took a sharp right, finally getting out of the deadlock and onto a back road.

It hit me that I wasn't dreaming anymore. I was going to be Eliot's wife for at least two weeks; maybe longer it all depends on what happens. Quietly, I walked up next to him and gingerly sat down and crossed my legs on the arm rest of his beige leather seat with a black stripe down the middle.

"Why don't you let me drive for a little… I'll wake you up when we get to Pittsburgh… ok hunnie?" he responded by carefully taking my hands and placing them on the wheel. I stood up so he could get around me and get to the sofa or bed, but he didn't move.

"El?" he looked up at me when we came to another stop light, anticipation dancing in his sparkling blue eyes.

Passionately, his hands found their way around my waist, his fingers massaging the bare skin on my back. They found their way around to may stomach. His touch was so electrifying that my entire body relaxed as his hands caressed my soft tanned skin.

I sat down in his lap, sinking into his rock hard thigh muscles. His fingertips continued tracing back and forth around my naval; it felt good… really good. He could tell I had been working out more because my stomach was void of even an once of fat.

The smile he slipped me added to the whole experience. He touched me like I was a fragile, precious gem that could break at any second. This new feeling was so incredibly amazing that I found it hard to ignore the fact that at the moment I was feeling like I wanted more.

We had been dating since February, but we never made love which, surprised many people. It wasn't because that moment just never came… something inside me was afraid he was just like every other man, who left you and when you woke up the next morning they were gone.

I drove like this for at least fifteen minutes, until Elliot finally fell asleep. He was afraid that I was going to get lost, but I did have a GPS on my side, so I knew I would be ok.

"El… El wake up," I shook him lightly trying to wake him. "We're in Pittsburgh… El… Elliot? Ok then… you're asking for it now…" I fished around in the glove compartment for my thirty-five millimeter and flashed a priceless picture of Elliot sleeping.

"Olivia Benson!" he croaked, blinking his eyes several times so they could adjust to the dark.

"You looked so cute… I couldn't resist… listen I'll burn it if you want me to…" If there was anything Elliot hated it was being photographed, especially when he was sleeping.

"Olivia… I told you how much I hate that!"

"I know…" Elliot wasn't just joking around… he actually looked and sounded pissed off. What had I gotten myself into?

"El… will you forgive me…?" his furriated brow suddenly relaxed when he locked into my slightly misted eyes.

"I'll make a deal with you Benson…"

"I have the feeling I'm not going to like this Stabler…"

"I'll let you keep that picture if you sleep with me tonight…"

"Sleep… with you?"

"Not like that Liv… I just want to hold you… it's been along time since you let me do that…"

My heart wanted to lie next to him for the rest of my life, and yet my brain screamed that he was a man which meant he would do what every man did… walk away.

"Liv? Olivia?" he appeared hurt. He probably felt like I didn't love him enough to share my bed with him.

Damn it Olivia Benson don't give in! I should to myself. "Only if you help me make dinner… deal?"

"Yeah… of course…" he placed a sloppy kiss on my cheek; it was the kind of kiss that you would blow on a baby's stomach and it made weird noises.

"Elliot! That's gross!" I took his strong hand and followed him into the kitchen that had enough space for at least four people to move around at once. It had marble counters with a thin green tile border around the outside that matched the color of the living room. Cragen really went all out on this one, I couldn't believe how big and ornate the trailer was.

"I think I saw some pasta noodles in the pantry…" I opened one of the cabinets and pulled out a can of Ragu tomato sauce.

"Here Liv…" he handed me a pan for the sauce and a pot for the pasta.

"Thanks… Elliot?"

"Yes babe, what is it?"

"Meat or Alfredo sauce?"

"Hmm… how about Alfredo?"

"Ok… can you just watch this and put the noodles in then?"

"Liv, pasta's my specialty remember?"

"Yeah whatever you say Elliot, I'm gonna go get the files. Be right back!" I said in a sing song voice.

I disappeared into the striped bedroom and opened a small handbag that I had placed the two files; one containing evidence about the case and the other about our new lives as Mr. and Mrs. Schwimmer.

I glanced over at the mirror and fixed my hair noticing something in the reflection. Slowly, I turned around to where the little card and rectangular box sat. The front of the envelope read, "For my Olivia." I was tempted to open it, but decided to wait until Elliot wanted me to.

I joined him in the kitchen and saw that he was draining the water out with a strainer.

"Looks great! Here let me help you with that sauce… I think it's ready…" I picked up the wooden spoon and licked a small sample of it.

"Is it good?" I nodded. "Let me have some!"

I raised the spoon to his lips and he too sampled the sauce replying "Mmm…" he swiped some on his finger and slyly smiled at me. I squealed as he chased me into the living room.

We fell over the couch and the sauce landed just to the right of my chin and along my neck. I landed dangling awkwardly, my head inches from the floor. Elliot used his hand to support his weight from collapsing down on top of me.

"Liv, you got a little sauce right here…" he bent down to kiss me starting by sweetly pecking along my jaw line. Eventually he made his way down to my neck, leaving little hickey marks as he attempted to get it all off.

"El… Elliot…" I moaned lightly.

"Yes?"

I sat up turning my body so I could lie down comfortably. I looked down at my white v-neck halter top and then into his eyes.

"What is it Liv?"

"You missed a spot…" I whispered, noticing a small cream spot only an inch or two above where the v came to a point. He looked at me, making sure he heard what the thought he did. Lately I had been sort of closed, and not wanting him to be close to me, we both knew it. The only thing I could do was gaze into his eyes.

Right there, despite all the doubt I was feeling about him being like every other man, at that one moment I felt more beautiful than I ever had in my life. He gave my tiny, delicate kisses along my plunging neckline before he reached the glob of Alfredo.

My mind had no idea what to do, so my body took over by pure instinct. Gracefully, (or at least I hoped it was gracefully) I arched my back like Julia Roberts did in that one Pretty Woman scene. A rush of adrenaline pumped through my veins sending butterflies to my stomach, and yet, I felt totally weightless. Just as I began to feel lust twinkling in my eyes, the timer went off.

The two of us looked at each other for a moment then I groaned turning off the timer and setting the table. I poured the Alfredo sauce into the pasta and stirred them together. Using the biggest spoon I could find, I dished the noodles out on the two plates, making sure that Elliot's was larger.

I walked out to the living room, where Elliot was still sitting on the couch looking almost stunned.

"Do you want to eat out here?" I asked sitting down next to him and handing him a plate, a fork and a spoon.

"Olivia…"

"Yes El?"

"Do you l…"

"Yes… yes I do…"

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"Yes I do…" he sighed placing a kiss on my right temple. We finished our dinner in an incredibly awkward silence.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed ok?" he whispered to me as he finished his dinner.

"Yeah… good night El…"

"G'night beautiful…" he gently kissed my lips and went into the bedroom. I sat there finishing my pasta, quietly thinking about what could have happened if it weren't for that damn timer.

My watch displayed 9:35 PM, which for us was really early, but I too was feeling wiped out. I put my plate in the sink and turned the other lights off so the whole trailer was dark. I mysteriously slipped into the bedroom, shedding my shirt and pants. In the moonlight I searched for a pair of pajama pants to wear. Ten minutes later, I found a pair in the bottom of my suitcase and pulled them up over my underwear and took a deep breath trying to reassure myself that it would be ok to sleep with him.

It's ok Olivia… he'll be there when you wake up… he won't leave you… he won't walk away… he loves you doesn't he?

I climbed into the other side of the bed, turning so I faced Elliot. "I love you so much…" I kissed his lips careful not to make him stir. I twisted away from him once again and allowed my eyelids to close.

I don't know if he was sleeping or awake, but I remember he wrapped an arm protectively around my waist and pulled me close to him.

"G'night Elliot Stabler…"

Day 2 Pittsburgh, PA – Columbus, OH – Indianapolis, IN -

Chicago, IL

I woke up to discover that my most dreaded nightmare had indeed come true. When I woke up, it wasn't in Elliot's arms, but alone in a bed made for two. Tears began to collect in my eyes.

How could he just leave me here?

"El, Elliot?" I called out to what felt like only empty space. "Elliot?" I said again, hating how my voice trembled.

After two minutes of waiting, I realized that he wasn't coming and sank back into the covers feeling terribly used. Reluctantly, I allowed my tears to flow freely from my brown eyes.

The door opened slowly, but I figured that I had only imagined it which made me cry more.

"Olivia?" I looked up at Elliot with red puffy eyes.

In his right hand he had a plate full of bacon, eggs and toast and in the left was a glass of orange juice and the two case files we were going to review the night before. He set them down gingerly on the nightstand and crawled up the bed to get to me. He pulled the sheets up around himself and pulled my body into his lap. I cried harder and he placed a comforting hand behind my head and brought it down into his chest.

"Shh… Liv… Olivia, it's ok…"

"I'm sorry I must look really stupid crying like this…"

"What's wrong?"

"I thought you were like any other guy and just well… left me here…"

"Olivia, not all men do that, especially to the woman they love…" I knew his words were true because he looked at me when he said them, not at my black bra that I had fallen asleep in.

I let out a heavy sigh into his chest and reached for the file marked Mr. and Mrs. Schwimmer.

"Ready to do this?" I asked, attached to his blue eyes that were clouded because he realized that he had made me cry.

"Yeah… let's find out what ridiculous stuff we have to do now…" Elliot smiled and held me closer until I returned his grin.

"Ok… Mrs. Olivia Schwimmer… thirty years old… thirty years old! They made me older!"

Elliot chuckled, "Whatever you say Liv…"

"Ok what else… what… WHAT!"

"Now what?"

"I'm a housewife…" we exchanged glances and burst out laughing.

"You! A housewife!"

"Hey! I can be a housewife! A pretty damn sexy one too!"

"Well… can't disagree with that now can I?"

I smiled and rolled my eyes, "Ok… I was raised in Boston and went to Duke Law School, but had to drop out because my family went basically bankrupt. That's when I met you… my friend Casey took me on a trip to NYC where I ran into you on a boat cruise and you asked me out…"

"Interesting… a boat cruise eh?"

"I know how corny…"

He smiled, "Ok… and let's see… I'm Elliot Schwimmer, thirty-three years old and made a lot of money in real estate. When my parents died I also received their stocks, which I made millions off of. And well… I guess that's it?"

"What about hobbies? I mean if the Drakes throw us a party, which will most likely happen, we need to have something to talk about…"

"Yeah… hmm… I'll be the big golfer and poker player… you can be… I dunno what do rich people like to do? Hmm… you can be a shopaholic?"

"Very funny! But that does work for Las Vegas… and what about Ballroom Dancing?"

"You don't dance Liv… remember?"

Oh shit… "I, uh, I could learn…"

"Right…"


End file.
